Corrosion-resistant, double-panel, lockable door

ABSTRACT

A corrosion-resistant, double-panel, lockable door for automotive utility bodies is provided in which the portion of the panels for receiving a lock and paddle latch mechanism is formed into a drawn recess so that this portion of the panels is integral with the remainder of the panel. Consequently, no seams or openings, which would tend to receive water or moisture, are necessary in order to mount the latch handle and lock assembly on the door without protruding parts. The lock extends through the sheet material forming the panels, and the parts forming the paddle handle and latch mechanism are secured to the sheet material on either side thereof by rivets extending through the material. Nevertheless, the arrangement is such that the lock opening may be sealed, and a slot, provided to permit the paddle handle mechanism to engage the latch, is protected from exposure to the weather to guard against entry of moisture into the space between the panels, thus preventing accumulation of water between the panels and eliminating the cause of rust or corrosion.

[ Feb. 5, 1974 United States Patent [191 Seiwert CORROSION-RESISTANT, DOUBLE-PANEL, LOCKABLE DOOR A corrosion-resistant, double-panel, lockable door for [75] Inventor: Robert slelwert Wooster Ohm automotive utility bodies is provided in which the por- Stahl Metal Products Division, Cleveland, Ohio June 12, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 261,912

[73] A i tion of the panels for receiving a lock and paddle latch mechanism is formed into a drawn recess so that this portion of the panels is integral with the remainder of the panel. Consequently, no seams or openings, which [22] Filed:

would tend to receive water or moisture, are necessary in order to mount the latch handle and lock assembly on the door without protruding parts. The lock extends through the sheet material forming the panels, and the parts forming the paddle handle and latch 40 N %3 b M ME 9 4 Field of Search...................::.

mechanism are secured to the sheet material on either side thereof by rivets extending through the material.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Nevertheless, the arrangement is such that the lock opening may be sealed, and a slot, provided to permit the paddle handle mechanism to engage the latch, is

1,989,801 2/1935 Halinkan............................=.. 49/503 3,348,337 lO/l967 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Grasso......,....................... 49/503X protected from exposure to the weather to guard against entry of moisture into the space between the panels, thus preventing accumulation of water be- 748,627 4/1933 France 49/503 tween the panels and eliminating the cause of rust or corrosion.

Primary Examiner-Kenneth Downey Attorney, Agent, or FirmFrederic B. Schramm 4 Claims 6 Drawing Figures PRELIMINARY DESCRIPTION In carrying out the invention in accordance with a preferred form thereof a door for an automotive vehicle body is formed of two panels of sheet material such as sheet metal and provided with a hinge which may be either horizontal or vertical, depending upon the desired arrangement of cabinets formed in a truck body for receiving tools and supplies and the like, to be carried on trucks of public utilities. The edges of the two panels are secured in any suitable manner as by crimping the edges of one panel over the corresponding edge of the other.

In order to provide a paddle handle for latching and locking the door which will not protrude from the outer surface of the outer panel of the door, a recess or well is formed in the outer panel and the inner panel is correspondingly recessed in order that confronting surfaces of the two panels will lie in contact. Contrary to prior practice in which a lock receiving opening was cut into the sheet material of the door and mounting brackets or members were secured to the edges of the opening by spot welding or the like, in accordance with the present invention the recess formed in the door panels is drawn, so that the recessed portion of the panel is integral with the remainderof the panel and no seams are necessary. No gaps or fissures result, which might admit moisture into the interior space between the two panels or into the interior of the utility body. In this manner, the collection and retention of water at the bottom ofa door between the-two panels is avoided and this source of corrosion is eliminated.

A latching mechanism 'is provided consisting of a pivoted paddle handle with a nose that extends through a slot to engage a notch, slot, or the like in a slidable latch bar or bolt for holding the door shut. A lock is provided which extends through an opening in the sheet material. The lock is-adapted to receive the key on the outside of the outer panel and has a locking arm extending transversely from a portion of the lock extending inward. The locking arm is arranged to engage the end of the latch bar or a detent formed thereon, to lock it in the closed position when the lock has been turned to the locked position.

DRAWINGS A better understanding of the invention will be afforded by the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is side view of a body of the type which may be employed on utility trucks with lockable doors constructed in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of a section of the door panels for one of the doors which may be employed in the body of FIG. 1, illustrating the location of a lock and a slide bar or bolt of a latch mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the portion of the door illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view of a section of the door represented in FIG. 2, together with an elevation of the paddle latch mechanism and lock employed, and a fragmentary view of the portion of the truck body in which the door is mounted;

FIG. 4a is a fragmentary view illustrating the arrangementfor mounting a lock striker and FIG. 5 is a view of the paddle latch mechanism employed in the apparatus in FIG. 4.

Like reference characters are utilized throughout the drawings to designate like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The utility truck body 11 as illustrated in FIG. 1, may be fabricated to form a plurality of compartments, for example, as shown, three compartments 12, designed for vertically hinged doors and a compartment 13 designed for a horizontally hinged door, hinged at the bottom by a conventional hinge pin arrangement 14, so that the door may be dropped to form a work table. As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the body is formed with or has mounted thereinlock strikers 15 at the edges of the door openings. Since this portion of the structure is conventional, further detailed description will not be required.

In accordance with the invention, however, the doors are so formed that latch and lock mechanism may be mounted therein without necessitating the presence of openings which may permit entry and collection of water in spaces within the panelling of the doors which could result in corrosion and rapid disintegration of the doors. As in conventional sheet metal utility truck bodies the doors are preferably composed of both inner and outer panels in sheet form, composed of a suitable material such as sheet steel.

It is desirable that the latch mechanism be recessed from the outer surface of the door to avoid the presence of any protruding parts. However, in accordance with the invention, no openings are cut in the door panels to form such recesses. The arrangement is such as to avoid necessity for making joints which would otherwise be required at the edges of cut recesses and the arrangement is such as to avoid openings or fissures around the latch mechanism which could admit and permit the retention of water. Instead, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, outer and inner panels 16 and 17, respectively, are formed with a drawn recess 18 in the outer panel 16 and preferably a somewhat larger drawn recess 19 in the inner panel 17, adapted to receive the outer panel recess 18.

As shown, the panel sheet material is formed with sloping portions 21, surrounding a flat portion 22, in the recess of the outer panel 16 and a flat portion 23 in the recess of the inner panel 17-, so that the flat portions 22 and 23 lie against each other and in planes parallel to the outer door surface portion surrounding the recesses 18 and 19. It will be understood that the recesses I8 and 19 may be formed by stamping by the use of suitable dies.

The doors are designed for the use of a paddle latch 24 of the type illustrated in FIG. 5, with a conventional cylinder lock 25, having a barrel or a cylinder portion 26 adapted to be received in a circular opening 27. To prevent the lock 25 from passing through the opening 27 there is a flange portion or collar 28. As shown, the surface of the cylindrical portion 26 of the lock 25 is threaded and the lock is adapted to be secured in place in the opening 27, in the panel portions 22 and 23 by a nut (not shown).

A locking arm 29 is formed on the lock 25 which turns around the axis of the cylinder 26 when the key is turned in the lock. The arrangement is such that when the lock is turned to the position as shown in F108. 2 and 4, the end 31 of the locking arm 29 blocks downward movement of a detent 32 or end portion formed on or secured to 'thelatch bar or bolt 33 of the latching and locking mechanism.

The paddle latch mechanism employed includes a handle 34 which may be pulled outward to unlatch and open the door, provided the door is not locked with the locking lever 29 of the lock 25 in the locked position illustrated, The handle 34 is mounted on ears 35 pivoted on pivot pins 36, as shown in FIG. 4. Each pivot pin 26 is suitably mounted as by means of a plate 37 in the form of a flat base with upturned flanges or edges 38 to receive the pivot pin 36, the base of the plate 37 being mounted against the recessed flat portion 22 of the outer door panel.

The paddle latch handle 34 also has secured thereto, a nose 39 adapted to engage a notch or the lower edge 42 of'a slot or recess 41 in the bolt 33. v

The lower edge 42 of the notch or slot 41 in the bolt 33 is so located that, when the locking arm 29 of the .lock 25 is in the upper position shown and the paddle lock handle 34 is in'the normal position, although the nose 39 bears against the edge or surface 42', the bolt 33 cannot be dislodged from its locked position in which it engages the lock striker 15. However, when the locking arm 29 is turned away from the position shown, pulling out the paddle lock handle 34 serves to rotate the nose.39 downward to depress the bolt 33 and release it from the lock striker to permit opening the door.

Any suitable slidable mounting may be used for the bolt 33. As shown, there is a sheet metal channel member 44 secured against the sheet metal panel surface portion 23.'ln order to permit the nose 39 to extend through the inner and outer panels and to engage the bolt 33, a slot 45 is cut in the panel portions 22 and 23. The slot 45 is in elongated rectangular form as shown in FIG. 3. Preferably, the channel member 44 is formed with flange portions 43 adapted to lie against the flat panel portion 23 opposite the paddle latch support plate 37, so that the supporting parts for the pivoted paddle handle 34 and the slide bar or bolt 33 may be secured to the panel portions 22 and 23 and to each other by means of removable rivets 40 passing through rivet holes 46 formed in the inner and outer panels at portions 22 and 23, in the flange 43 and in the paddle handle supporting plate 37.

Since the portions 22 and 23 of the outer and inner panels are integral with the remainder of the inner and outer door panels, no openings or fissures are formed to admit moisture between the inner and outer panels 16 and 17. Although it is necessary to provide a slot 45 for the latch nose 39 and an opening 27 for the lock cylinder 26, no opening for admission of moisture between the panel portions 22 and 23 is provided because the panel portions 22 and 23 are secured tightly together in direct surface contact. Moreover, since the panel portion 22 is recessed it is protected against ordinary descending rainfall.

The edges of the door panels 16 and 17 may be secured together in any suitable manner, for example, by means of crimping with the edge of the panel 16 extending beyond and crimped around the edge of the panel 17 to form the outer crimped edge 47. Weather seals 48 composed of rubber or similar gasket material may be provided around the door edges. As shown, the

weather seals 48 are secured to the edges of the opening in the body by clips 49. The lock striker 15 may be formed by means of a bent-up projection formed in a U cross section shaped member 51, which is secured to an inwardly extending flange 52 formed in the body 11 around the door opening. Since the member 51 lies inward of the wall of the vehicle body around the door opening, any force applied to the door handle, when the bolt 33 is in locked position and abutting against the striker 15, could not dislodge the striker supporting member 51. It will be understood that the hinge pins 14 for the door are supported by suitable brackets (not shown) on the vehicle body.

While the invention has been described as embodied in concrete form and as operating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, since various modifications suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What. is claimed is:

bin a sheet metal door comprising a panel, a lock portion of the doorcomprising a recess in a portion of the panel formed integral with the remainder of the panel with a recessed surface in a plane spaced from the plane of the remainder of the panel, a paddle latch mechanism comprising inner and outer portions mounted opposite each other on opposite sides of the recess surface, secured together and to the recessed panel portion through said recessed panel portion, the inner portion of the latch mechanism including a slide bar with amounting therefor and the outer portion of the latch mechanism lying within said recess with clearances from the edges of the recess including an outwardly movable handle, pivoted in said recess and with means for engaging the slide bar, and a cylinder lock with a cylindrical portion and a key-actuatable, movable portion for locking the slide bar, said recessed panel portion being formed with an opening to receive the lock with the cylinder portion extending through said opening, with the movable portion thereof occupying space inward of the recessed pane] portion and the recessed panel portion being formed with a slot therein to receive the means for engaging the slide bar.

2. In a sheet metal door composed of confronting inner and outer panels, the outer panel constituting the panel referred to in claim 1 and being recessed inwardly, the inner panel having a corresponding inwardly recessed surface portion, the lock portion of the door comprising the structure of claim 1 together with the recessed portion of the inner panel adapted to receive said outer panel recess with a surface portion confronting the recessed surface of the outer panel recess, the inner and outer portions of the latch mecha nism being secured together through both of said recessed panel portions, the inner recessed panel portion being formed with a lock receiving opening coincident with the lock receiving opening in the outer panel portion and the inner recess panel portion being formed with a slot coincident with the slot in the outer recess panel portion to receive the means for engaging the slide bar.

3. A lockable door comprising in combination a sheet metal inner paneland a sheet metal outer panel encompassing the panel structure of claim 2, the inner and outer panels having edges secured together to from a jointless door, resisting entry of water between such panels. and resultant rusting thereof, with the latch mechanism and lock secured in said recessed panel portions, the paddle latch mechanism including a pivoted handle with a latch-actuating, movable nose, said paddle latch mechanism being mounted on the outward surface of the outer panel in said recess, the slide bar being slidably mounted on the inward surface of the inner panel with a notch therein adapted to be engaged by said nose and a detent adapted to be engaged by said movable lock portion, whereby the mounting of a lock on such door requires the formation of no unprotected openings tending to admit moisture through said door or into the space between inner and outer panels.

4. A lockable door as described in claim 3, wherein channels to secure said members together. 

1. In a sheet metal door comprising a panel, a lock portion of the door comprising a recess in a portion of the panel formed integral with the remainder of the panel with a recessed surface in a plane spaced from the plane of the remainder of the panel, a paddle latch mechanism comprising inner and outer portions mounted opposite each other on opposite sides of the recess surface, secured together and to the recessed panel portion through said recessed panel portion, the inner portion of the latch mechanism including a slide bar with a mounting therefor and the outer portion of the latch mechanism lying within said recess with clearances from the edges of the recess including an outwardly movable handle, pivoted in said recess and with means for engaging the slide bar, and a cylinder lock with a cylindrical portion and a key-actuatable, movable portion for locking the slide bar, said recessed panel portion being formed with an opening to receive the lock with the cylinder portion extending through said opening, with the movable portion thereof occupying space inward of the recessed panel portion and the recessed panel portion being formed with a slot therein to receive the means for engaging the slide bar.
 2. In a sheet metal door composed of confronting inner and outer panels, the outer panel constituting the panel referred to in claim 1 and being recessed inwardly, the inner panel having a corresponding inwardly recessed surface portion, the lock portion of the door comprising the structure of claim 1 together with the recessed portion of the inner panel adapted to receive said outer panel recess with a surface portion confronting the recessed surface of the outer panel recess, the inner and outer portions of the latch mechanism being secured together through both of said recessed panel portions, the inner recessed panel portion being formed with a lock receiving opening coincident with the lock receiving opening in the outer panel portion and the inner recess panel portion being formed with a slot coincident with the slot in the outer recess panel portion to receive the means for engaging the slide bar.
 3. A lockable door comprising in combination a sheet metal inner panel and a sheet metal outer panel encompassing the panel structure of claim 2, the inner and outer panels having edges secured together to from a jointless door, resisting entry of water between such panels and resultant rusting thereof, with the latch mechanism and lock secured in said recessed panel portions, the paddle latch mechanism including a pivoted handle with a latch-actuating, movable nose, said paddle latch mechanism being mounted on the outward surface of the outer panel in said recess, the slide bar being slidably mounted on the inward surface of the inner panel with a notch therein adapted to be engaged by said nose and a detent adapted to be engaged by said movable lock portion, whereby the mounting of a lock on such door requires the formation of no unprotected openings tending to admit moisture through said door or into the space between inner and outer panels.
 4. A lockable door as described in claim 3, wherein the paddle latch mechanism includes a handle pivot member with a flat mounting base in sheet form adapted to be secured against the outward surface of the outer panel in said outer panel recess and a channel member for receiving said slide bar or bolt having portions in sheet form adapted to be secured to the inward surface of the inner panel opposite the mounting base of said handlE pivoting support member, and removable rivets are provided, extending through said base member and said channel member support portions, as well as the intervening portions of the inner-outer channels to secure said members together. 